Dropper valve for corn planters



Sept. 29, 1931. E. B. YOUNG 1,825,035

DROPPER VALVE FOR CORN PLANTERS Filed Jan. 31, 1931 Patented Sept. 29, 1931 o 1 25 035' 7 7 1 UNITED s rarss eni-TENT pr nce EDGAR B. YOUNG; or NEWMAN, ILLINOIS nnorrnn vAizvr. roe Conn rLAnr Rs Application filed January 31,1931. *seriai'no. '12,"5 s3.- My invention relates to improvements in "a trap door or gate l is hinged at 2'to the rear corn planters and more particularly to the lower margin of the'seed'tube Gwhere the seed'dropping valves thereof. a same terminates within the run'nerD and The main object of the invention is to proan arm 3 is extended angularly downward 6 vide a valve so constructed and operated as and rearward fromthe door-1 adjacentlits 55 to collect and throw the desired number of hinged end. An eye% is secured tothe rear kernels of corn downward and slightly rearwall of seed tube Gabove theyhinge 2'and ward from theplanter runners or shoes with a rod 5 is loosely pivoted to this eyefthe sufiicient force to prevent scattering ofthe lower end of the said rod-passing loosely .10 corn which normally occurs when the corn through the rear or'outer end of the arm 3. 60

' is simply dropped to the'ground. The effect An expansion coil spring dismounted over I of the momentum of the planter is thusoverthe rod 5'and is braced between'the arm 3 come and the planter'may be run at a con andeye 1 whereby the door 1 is normally siderably greater speed without scattering held closed asshown in -Figure 2. r The valve 1 the corn. f proper :comprises anarcuate orfupwardly '65 A further object of the invention is to proconvexed base plate 7 having, sides 8 vertivide a valve of the above characteristics in a tally and'upwardly extended from its marsimple, eficient and inexpensive form and. gins and connected at their forward end by which operates in connection and cooperation an'upwardly extended end 9. A hood or with theusual upper corn dropping valve on apron 10 also arcuate or convexed upwardly 70 th planter, 1s provided ontheupper margin of the end \Vith these and other objects in view the 9 and is extended forwardly therefrom for invention resides in the novel construction some distance as'shown at 11 as-well' as rearand arrangement of parts as hereinafter set wardly for somedistance over thebase plate forth and claimed, referencebeinghadto the 7 asshown at 12. The foregoing construction 7 accompanying drawings wherein: a is such that a pocket .13 is formed adjacent Figure 1 is'a' side viewof a corn hopper, the end 9 between the sides 8, base plate 7 runner and portiono'f the frame of a conand rear end 1 20f the hood 10. A'bell crank ventional planter showing the manner of aplever 14 is provided and the end of itslonger plying the present invention thereto. arm 15 is secured to the lower faceof theso Figure 2 is" an enlarged sectional detail valves. base plate? in any suitable'manner. View of the'valve and associatedelements. The bell crank leveris fulcrumed on aupin Figure 3 is a section along theline 3- 3 in 16 extended horizontally between: the, sides Figure 2. 17 of the runner D below the end of the seed,

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view of a e'Q h 0 0f 'P i g $11Ch"35 modified form of operating 'means for the that 11; 1s the center Of the radii UPOII WhiC lI valve. the base plate 7 and hood 10 are curved or Referring now more particularly to theQ B e i ed. The rear end of h drawings the reference character A desigd 1 e in e m i ylunder he hates: e ll tth forepart of a planter lower edge of the forward wall of the seed 9e frame carrying the seed hopper B, depended tube C and does notobstruct said seed tube "seedtu'be C, runner D and the oscillating latwhen, the Valve 1s 1n 1ts 1101 2 1 1 9 1 1 11 erally extended rock shaft E. This. rock shown. The valve is so located-that 1131113,}? shaft E carries an armor crank F which. swlng-rearwardly'beneath the lower end of I operates an upper valve 'G to drop the corn the seed tube C,-t here'ar end of the base plate '95 at periodic intervals through the seed tube 7 111111115 operation engaging the trap 1 C. The foregoing elements areconventi'onal land forcingthe sameopento permit the in construction "and operation and needno passage of the valve. To facilitate this openfurther description. r ing ofjthe door 1 its lower edge "18 is curved In accordance withthe present invention rearward and the rear ends ofthe sides are curved or cut off bluntly as shown at 19. It will be noted that the rear ends of the sides 8 and rear margin of the base plate 7 normally rest in engagement with the trap door 1 so that the same is swung open instead of being struck and knocked or slammed open as the valve is swung rearwardly by a means to be described. This construction reduces wear on the parts and prevents rattling and like noises in operation.

An operating rod or link is pivotally attached by its lower end at 21 to the shorter arm 22 of the bell crank lever 14 and is then offset laterally at 23 and passed upwardly alongside and clearof the hood 10 of the valve as best seen in Figure 3. The arm 20 passes loosely through a slot or opening 24 provided in the top 25 of the runner D and extends into proximity with and forwardly of the rock shaft E, this upper end of the rod being enlarged and provided with an apertured eye 26. A crank 27 similar to the aforesaid crank F and disposed diametrically opposite therefrom is provided on the rock shaft E and the eye 26 is pivotally attached to this crank in conventional manner.

In operation the proper number of kernels of corn as selected by the plates in the hopper B aredropped to the valve G from which they are released by a downward movement of the crank F in conventional manner. The corn then drops through the seed tube G and falls finally upon the valve base plate 7. Now another movement of the'rock shaft E will raise the rod 20 resulting in a sudden and-rapid swing of the valve rearwardly beneath the trap door 1. The corn resting on the plate 7 due to its inertia first slides back into the pocket 13 and is bunched therein and then as the valves rearward movement is stopped the corn will be thrown forcibly from the pocket 13 by its momentum. The corn thus strikes the ground in a bunch and is not scattered as will be understood. Coincident with the rearward movement of the valve the upper valve G is again operated to drop more corn and this corn falls upon the hood 10 as the same is disposed beneath the seed tube C when the valve is swung rearwardly. As the valve returns to its normal position the corn is raked off the hood 10 onto the plate 7 by the forward wall of the tube G.

The length and position of the hood 10 is such that it closes the lower end of the seed tube C when the valve is swung rearward and the; aforementioned mounting of the hood immediately beneath the lower margin of the forward wall of the seed tube causes the corn to be raked-from the hood as described. V The forward movement of the valvein returning to its normal position is limited to the correctpoint by'a stop located in any suitable position in the path of the valve as for instance depended from the coming stuck in any of the moving parts.

As shown in Figure 4 the enlarged end or eye 26 of the operating rod 20 may be provided with an elongated aperture or slot 28 in which the crank 27 is pivoted. By the use of this construction, the rearward swing of the valve is started suddenly by the crank striking the upper end of the aperture 28 after the rock shaft E has gained some momentum. This elongated slot 28 also increases the speed at which the valve swings rearward due to the fact that the valve first remains stationary during the travel of the crank 27 from the lower to the upper end of the eye and then the valve must-make its full rearwardswing during the remaining part of the movement of the crank as will be understood. To stop the rearward swing of the valve sharply and at the correct point a resilient stop or cushion 29 is provided on the frame A against which the upper end of s the rod 20 will strike as it is raised by the A resilient cushion or stop 30 is a crank 27. also provided on the rear of the runner D to serve as a stop for the trap door 1 and to prevent rattling thereof.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a very simple and efiicient valve for the purposes described and one which will allow a much greater speed of the planter without causing scattering or uneven planting of the corn.

While I have, herein set forth a certain preferred embodiment of my invention it is understood that I may vary from the same in minor structural details so as best to con struct a practical device for the purposes intended, not departing from the spirlt of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the kind described, in combination with the seed tube, runner, and rock shaft of a corn planter, a bell crank lever fulcrumed in the runner beneath the seed tube, a valve mounted beneath the seed tube and comprising an upwardly convexed base plate secured to the bell crank lever, sides and an end 011 the base plate, an upwardly convexed hood mounted on the uptube and spring set to normally depend V downwardly therefrom, a bell crank lever fulcrumed in the runner below the seed tube,

a valve comprising an upwardly convexed 7 base plate secured to the bell crank. lever forwardly of the trap door, sides upwardly extended from the base plate, an end portion upwardly extended from the forward end of the base plate, an upwardly convexed hood mounted intermediate its ends on the said end portion and extending rearwar'dly over the base plate and beneath the forward wall of the said tube, a crank mounted on the rock shaft, and an operating rod pivotally connected at its ends to the said bell crank lever and the crank.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

EDGAR B. YOUNG. 

